Children of a Mortal God
by wickedsinflower
Summary: Rikku's father, Cid, must leave Home during a critical time in its development and she's not about to let him shut her out. The way Home could be, the way the Al Bhed would live their life, is thrown into peril at the machinations of the ever looming Church of Yevon and it's desire for power. Rating subject to change, but told by Child!Rikku. (Ethnographic focus on the Al Bhed)


**Children of a Mortal God**

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**Disclaimer**: the setting is not mine, and neither are the titular characters, but their childhoods and their culture are mostly fabricated from a philosophy of anarchism, and all the radical differences that could be if a group of people were free in such a way.

**AN**: This story is more about what it means to be Al Bhed than what it means to be Rikku, but Rikku is Al Bhed and first and foremost she is Rikku, as all Al Bhed are first and foremost, themselves.

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**Chapter One: Children of Sand**

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Bikanel's sands had turned to gold as the sun sank into the dunes. The sky was molten yellow, candy pink and burning blue smearing themselves together in the twilight.

The sands were still warm from the heat of day, but the metal was quick to cool as the sun left the desert to chill. The nine towers silhouetted black on the horizon of the Sanubia Sands, the scaffolding and incomplete construction distorting the shape of the gently curving structures. As the sky in the West darkened, lights began to flicker on.

The beginnings of the Al Bhed Home.

Under the feet of its children, the unfinished towers was an epic playground.

Sector D, the temporary housing block and future location of the open market, was under construction and under consideration for most fun sector. A skinny boy waited atop one of the lower rungs of the scaffolding. His hands on his leather covered knees, he bent over, his oval face visible over the edge. His sloping, up-turned nose wrinkled, "C'mon Rikku! They'll be waiting for us. You said you could keep up."

"Meanie!" A girls voice rang out from the side of the building just before tiny hands, gloved in white and blue appeared.

The boy squatted down next to the side of the building, looking down at her with a superior smirk.

"Need a hand?"

Rikku, the small girl hanging off the side, glared up at him. "Move it!" She had ribbons coming off her hair in streams as the wind played with them.

He plopped back as she launched herself up.

"Gippal, you are such a meanie! If you hadn't knocked off that light I would have been able to get up as fast as you." She was pouting indignation, her round face and baby fat making her cheeks baloon. Her eyes were a deeper shade of green than his, her hair a sunnier hue, her chin more heart shaped. She wore a small jumpsuit with high boots that she stomped at him.

He shrugged and scratched at his knee just under his black boots, and tried to look as cool as an eight year old could possibly be. "Maybe I'm just faster."

Rikku smiled and laughed, dimples appearing in her cheeks. "Oh yeah? Race you to the top! HA!" She sprinted across the metal grating of the building, her pace clacking rhythmically. She put on a burst of speed, inspired by her success and her failure to outrun her companion. She tensed her legs for just a moment at the rim, and then sprang off the market place roof.

/~O Saya- A.R. Rahman~/

If the Al Bhed workers had happened to glance away from their metal smithing they would have been at least mildly concerned that a seven year old child, ribbons fluttering behind her, was flying off the roof. It would be alarming to say the least. Then again, metal smithing can be tedious work, and once caught up in their trade, the smiths themselves would block out all but the rhythmic clang of metal against metal. It was no surprise that no one noticed Rikku's flight.

Gippal scrambled to his feet, shouting "HEY! Not fair! Come back!" as if that had ever magically held her in place. She was cheating, but more importantly she was beating him- uncalled for, in his opinion.

She turned back, looking at him from the scaffolding of the next structure, and waved energetically. "Hurry up, slow poke!"

He took a quick step back and sprinted, leaping after her. He landed a bit less gracefully on the scaffolding, but turned to look, still proud of the leap. His woop of victory was quickly crushed when he heard her heavy insulated boots pound up the stairs.

She came to the top of the scaffolding and eyed the rim of metal squared over the metal bolts and supports. The energy lines across the side of the A building were smooth and round, snaking through the metal. She grinned as she looked back at Gippal. She pulled up her goggles hanging from her neck, watching him catch up. Her lopsided top tails whipped around as she sidled up to the ledge and started to climb, exhaustion not even beginning to touch her.

Gippal shared her mad grin, and his lime eyes glowed with mischief in the half light before he snapped his goggles over them, mimicking her gesture automatically.

Rikku's hands flew up and groped like an experienced monkey at every crevice, protrusion and nook that her small hands could find. Her feet steadily followed her, knowing exactly where to go as long as she had a good grip. Workers on the side of the A building continued their welding, so focused on the complicated wire-making and energy compliance that they did not notice the children spider climbing across beams, ledges and unfinished pipes.

"Ao! Up here you guys!" A boy's head appeared over the edge of the roof, shouting at the two who were almost at the top. Rikku was hanging off half a ledge when she heard his voice, she swung herself and jumped, briefly weightless before her gloves grasped the next edge. The boy's hands closed over her forearms and pulled her up. When she was standing atop the plate she turned back and looked over the ledge at Gippal. They made eye contact and her features twisted into a restrained smirk as she brought out her ultimate weapon; she blew Gippal a delightful raspberry.

"I won. Haha! I won Keyakku!"

Keyakku rolled his dark green eyes, "Guys, we gotta run! The shift is-"

A man bellowed, "Hey you gadgets! What tha pyrefly're you doin' up here!?"

Keyakku yanked his goggles over his eyes and reached down to grab Gippal's arms with Rikku. Just as they were well-aware of the fun that Home's inner workings had to offer, they were even more aware of the joy-killing dangers they could overcome. The older citizens of Home had other ideas of what constituted good fun.

The man that had come up over the side was making an effort to get off the scaffolding and on to the roof to perhaps stop them or catch them, but Keyakku and Rikku had already got Gippal on to the roof. All three were quickly sprinting to the other side of the building which had a large portion of scaffolding overhanging the street below.

Keyakku shouted, "Go! Go! Go! Go!" which spurred Rikku to put in a burst of speed before she leaped.

Gippal shot a look behind him at the man lumbering after them, his workers' gear heavy welding boots and thick overalls weighing him down considerably. Keyakku made a practiced leap onto the neighboring building which was much less finished, Gippal flying in close behind him. As they landed and continued to run after Rikku, they shared a high five. Cement and metal was the frame for building B, and the bones of the construction made a maze of scrap metal, beams and poles with planes of concrete to race on. Rikku slowed just enough so the boys could meet her.

"Glad you could join us." Keyakku said.

Gippal upped his speed as they came to a wall, ran up its length and turned left. When he bounced off he was panting. "Where's Kinna?" he asked.

Keyakku jerked his chin. "Made a bet. Had to wait for you guys."

They barreled through, darting amongst the bones of the building, laughing. As they came to a nearly finished level, the wind still pushing against their small bodies high above the rough sand, Keyakku suddenly stopped.

Rikku skidded to a halt, "Wha-What! Wha's wrong? Where're we goin'?"

Gippal came to a stand-still, putting his hands on his knees and saying breathlessly, "She went to the industry district, didn't she?"

"Yeah, yeah she did."

Gippal groaned. "Sssin!"

Rikku paddled the air with her hands, "Well what'er we waiting for! Let's go! Let's go! First one there gets a prize!"

Ten year old Keyakku laughed, "You think we won't get caught?"

"Run fast, don't touch no body no thing 'cept unexploadbles and we'll be _fine."_ Rikku recited.

Gippal ran his fingers through his flyaway hair in exasperation.

Keyakku shrugged and smiled at him as if to say 'She was your idea!'

Rikku had already whisked herself down. The boys picked up the pace again, lest she give them the slip.

It took some time for the metal workers to realize that the rhythmic thudding they were hearing was not a malfunctioning machina. Rikku screamed in laughing terror as she slipped past flying sparks in the fading light. Gippal and Keyakku thundered down after her. Once the workers realized that it was a blonde streak of errant children, curses and shouts rang out and heavily gloved arms tried to catch the nimble brats as they zoomed past. Dodging them effectively and twisting out of the way, they continued their race, smiles stretching their cheeks wide.

Getting back to the lower rungs was a simple task after avoiding the now alert workers. Rikku flung out her arm towards a crane machina, looking behind her at Keyakku, who punched the air with his fist in approval.

She grasped the chain and swung onto the long, smooth neck of the machina. She slid, and panic lodged itself in her stomach for a moment before she found her balance and hung herself low, so she could slip along the surface. She shrieked with laughter, her ribbons streaming behind her, and she gave a little wave to the goggled man inside before leaping off. Gippal followed her example, jettisoning off the crane before slamming boots first into the worker box, containing a stunned worker. Keyakku was much more smug as he jumped onto the hard safety glass of the worker box and ran sideways off of it, using it as a spring board to flip. Rikku landed, crouched on the ground with her finger tips touching earth as she fell, the two boys thudding after her. They darted behind one of the buildings, looking for the machina charge platform, which was where Kinna and Mikkehl had boasted being able to get to not two days before.

Weaving in-between new Al Bhed families carrying boxes, teams carting supplies and mercenary guards, the two boys tried not to lose sight of Rikku's ribbons. "Damn, she's fast." Gippal muttered.

Then came a sight they weren't expecting: eleven year old Mikkehl running the opposite direction, his legs kicking up and his white blonde curls flying behind him. He spotted them as he ducked in front a startled mercenary, and his eyes widened. "Guys!" Gippal and Keyakku slowed to hear. "They caught Kinna! She's in big trouble! Gotta get outta heeer- AH!" Mikkehl was plucked up by a muscle-bound mercenary who fixed him with a stink eye.

Keyakku cursed and Gippal shoved one of the mercenaries hips, briefly unbalancing the grown man, as they used the opening to run to where they had last seen Rikku. Keyakku started up after him, avoiding the mercenaries and trying to lose himself in the smattering of people and chaos. "Where'd Rikku go?" he shouted.

Gippal stopped abruptly in response, making Keyakku bump into him.

Rikku was slung over a bald, heavily muscled man's shoulder. She was kicking her little legs up, her ribbons hanging limp.

A very upset, fatherly-sounding voice roared, "GIPPAL! KEYAKKU! GET OVER HERE!"

Gippal swallowed, and Keyakku muttered "Aw- sin."

A large gloved hand clapped them both on the shoulder. "Such foul little mouths." A man's voice rumbled from behind them. They glanced at each other before trailing their eyes behind and up.

A familiar mercenary, thickly built, with blonde mutton chops, had a hold on them. They couldn't recognize the man past the goggles that snapped over his balding head, he was hiding a smile that reached his eyes behind the shatterproof glass.

Keyakku jerked his shoulder and sneered, but the man tightened his grip.

Cid was stomping his way over, veins on the side of his tattooed head pulsing. "What exactly were you doing runnin' about construction areas? What the hell were you two sandy-eyed, snot-noses thinking?!"

Gippal shrank back from the intimidating leader of the Al Bhed roaring at them, Rikku still slung over his shoulder.

Keyakku ripped down his goggles, glaring with all the rebelliousness an Al Bhed could muster. "Wait a-"

Cid steamrolled over him, "Don't even try to make excuses, Keyakku! There are none! You know what you should and shouldn't be doing, and one of them happens to be running around like mobile bombs with Rikku!"

Rikku, her hand propping her head up from Cid's back, rolled her eyes. The men standing behind Cid tried to smother their chuckles and smirks. Cid obliviously continued to rant, bellowing his tirade over Keyakku's interjections.

"What you were doing with MY little girl, jumping like damned monkeys this way and that, wrecking the work-"

Gippal reddened to his ears and interrupted, "We didn't wreck-"

He was cut off by Cid as the angry father shifted his rant towards his latest victim, forgetting to glare at Keyakku. He barked "You sure as hell didn't help! Endangering the workers- _and_ Rikku!"

Rikku sighed and the small puff of her breath made her bangs flutter for a moment. She said in her best stern, I'm-talking-to-adults voice, "Pops! I _made_ Gippal take me."

Cid picked her up off his shoulder and held her abreast under her arms, which she crossed as she glared at him.

Cid was trying to wipe the proud twist in his expression as he thought of something to say to discipline her.

She closed her eyes as she continued, "I made Keyakku agree 'coz other wise I'd tell Kinna he liked her." She peeked open one of her eyes.

Keyakku shouted "WHAT-I DO N- LIAR!"

Gippal sniggered but shut up when Keyakku's fist met his shoulder. Gippal lunged at him in retaliation, but they were ripped apart by mutton chops and his corded arms, who they had recognised as Kahhn. Kahhn was a mercenary that was usually seen with Cid, though Cid often sent him on missions.

Rikku continued, "And 'sides you would not've even known we were in the working area unless you caught Kinna, who's just not as good as us at running."

Cid seemed to be struggling with himself, "The synth work and construction is dangerous, Rikku. They can't risk people who get in the way. "

"But Da-ad, that's the point, we're training to not get in the way. Did anyone get hurt? Did any one drop things _because_ of us?"

Cid mushed his mouth together and shook his head- starting to say, "That's not the-"

"Doesn't almost only count in hand grenades?" Rikku said pointing at him.

Cid's face cracked into a grin and his laughter boomed through the surrounding area over the drills and blow torches.

The small group of large men standing behind their leader had different reactions. Most glanced at each other and shook their heads, some smiling, some un-amused, and some grinning at the child like she was their own.

Cid turned her around and set her on his broad shoulders, smiling at Keyakku, who was glaring at Gippal. Gippal was cracking up, slapping his knee and shaking his head. "C'mon down to the mess hall, kiddos. It's grub time!" Rikku patted her Pops head and smiled.

* * *

The mess hall of the Al Bhed who gathered at Home was a large dome. It one of the structures centrally located between the nine towers on the East side. It was bright and colorful, full of vibrant yellows, greens, and blue accented in white and purple. Tapestries and banners proclaiming the types of food the stations had available were hung on the sides of the walls, written in the curvy, sharp letters of the Al Bhed. Thin, long openings in the sides and ceiling let the cool night air waft in and hot air drift out.

Strung all around were bright electrical lights run by a mix of generators and lightning spheres. The kitchens were run by the merchants, hired cooks and individuals who proved their culinary passions were edible. In turn, Cid provided them with shipments of fish from the coast, meat from the Western Al Bhed territory, vegetation from Mi'Hen, and the spices that were found in the farthest reaches of the Sanubia Sands for free. Their labor was paid by their own exports and the inter-commerce of Home.

It was a mutually beneficial set up. Compensation was access to materials, trade and security. It was a good incentive, but it was just the beginning- and Cid knew that it wouldn't last. The families gathering at the long tables made out of spare parts and driftwood were tentatively smiling. He knew the look in the eyes of the parents, or in some cases the older children. It was that shifty, wary look so familiar to him; the eyes not daring to let that small spark of hope blossom. He knew that his hardened people would soon want more. It would change, in time.

Rikku waved to some familiar faces and some she didn't know, beaming and winking high atop her father's shoulders. She bent over to get closer to Cid's ear. "Where's Brother at?"

Cid raised his shoulders "Be se- uh, I don't know." He grumbled under his breath "Kids…"

Rikku leaned backwards to catch a look-see at Keyakku and Gippal, still tagging along. She whispered, "I'm sorry I lied, just needed something to say, you know." She was completely upside down.

Keyakku eyed her warily, "Lying is _bad_ Rikku." but Gippal huffed at the same time. "I knew that."

Rikku giggled covering her mouth with her hands as she hung upside down from her Pop's back. "No you didn't. And now plus I know you _definitely_ think Kinna's pretty and I could tell her you like her."

"Wow- wow you're-" Keyakku was incredulous and looked at Gippal, gesturing at Rikku.

"Where's Brother?" She asked, unbothered. She had done it to _help_ them.

Keyakku shrugged as he looked around. "I think he's with the other guys. Mikkehl, too."

Rikku puffed out her cheeks. "Aww." And she pulled herself back up like a monkey.

A man with a high brow and angled cheeks stepped up to Cid, blocking his path, a sand mask tucked under his arm. "Sir, elder, sir I- we need to talk about Luca."

Cid's voice was sharp, signaling the return of business. "Why? Is it urgent?"

The man blinked and a sheen of sweat appeared on his temples and upper lip. He shifted in his overalls that were indicative of a mechanical specialist- metal interlocking with a heavy duty woven engineered material. It was a blue and yellow, from the fibrous lighting resistant brush of the Sanubia sands. He was clearly uncomfortable under Cid's piercing stare, and the large, curious, swirled eyes of Rikku. "Well, yes sir, but uh- not immediately urgent, si-elder."

Cid huffed. "Well why doncha' let me eat first, and then get the group together. You better have all your information together, or you'll have wasted a whole lotta' time."

The man lifted his hand to his forehead in a salute and said in a clipped tone, "Sir! Yes, sir." Rikku saluted, smiling at him, amused. The man lifted the corner of his mouth, and strode away.

Rikku tapped her fingers on Cids bald head, putting her chin in her hand. "Pop, what was that all about?"

Cid patted her padded knee and said "Don't you worry. You just figure out what you're going to be learning tomorrow."

Keyakku nodded seriously. "Yeah, you don't know how to make a grenade yet."

Gippal snorted. "Or even a gun?"

Rikku narrowed her eyes to slits at the boys, now back to slapping at each other.

Cid asked "Now whaddya' want for grubs?"

Rikku brightened, her plotting abandoned at the thought of food. She sniffed experimentally and caught scent of the spiciest, hottest thing in the hall. She pointed excitedly, waving her skinny arm up and down. "That!" Cid laughed and trotted to the stand where she was pointing.

The thin old man running the booth smiled at the image the four of them made. He saw Rikku riding over, her arm held out as if she were commanding the light brigade rather than dragging people to her favorite place to eat. Cid eyed the slowly cooking meat on the flat iron grill and on the rotisserie, his gaze shifting to the old man's red spice-stained beard. The old man smiled harmlessly, but Cid eyed him with an air of suspicion.

Gippal sniffed at the spices and immediately his eyes watered; he staggered back, plugging his nose. "AH! Sin, that is _bad_!"

Cid absently cuffed him. "Watch your tongue." He turned to look at his daughter's intent face. "Rikku, are you sure about this?"

Rikku grinned and nodded. "Heya' Chipp! I'll have my usual, please."

The old man nodded and said in a rocky voice, "Of course, Miss Rikku."

Cid shook his head. "I think I'll be getting somethin' a little less spicy. Maybe some cactus…"

Gippal nodded, his nose still plugged. "Yeah, me too! But, ew, not _that_."

Keyakku jutted out his chin, puffing out his chest ever so slightly. "I can handle it."

Rikku happily accepted the skewered spiced meat with a bright declaration of, "Thanks!"

Keyakku nodded and said firmly, "Me too, please." Gippal looked at him like he was crazy.

Keyakku accepted the sticks of meat with a determined expression. Cid ruffled his hair. "Quit tryin' so hard son." Rikku giggled and waved to the old man as Cid moved on to another stall. Keyakku closed his mouth on the strip and tore a piece off, juice splattering on his chin. He chewed thoughtfully.

"MmM! Dis- dis is good!"

Rikku nodded, her mouth full. Cid reached up, took her off his shoulders and set her down. Keyakku swallowed, smiling like he'd won something. Cid was heading towards the cactus stand when he stopped, recognizing the man with the sand mask and two of Cids earlier cohorts weaving in-between the in the condensed groups of people. They were heading towards Cid, faces grim. Rikku happily chewed while Gippal looked on, disgusted. "You guys even know what you're eating?"

Rikku said gravely, a very serious look in her eyes. "Not Chocobo."

Keyakku then started sputtering, "Ah! It's hot! Hot! Haaaaa! Hothothot!" He jumped up and stuck his tongue out, waving air around it, shaking his head, his goggles jostling on his neck.

Gippal snorted, and Rikku looked at him with concern her cheeks bulging with meat. Cid shook his head and clapped a large calloused hand, scraped with scars on Gippal's head. "Can I trust you to get my little girl to the sleepin' room after she eats? I have some business to take care of."

Gippal nodded, looking up at Cid, face glowing with pride at being given such an important job. The three men Cid had spotted heading towards them arrived. Cid greeted the men, nodding, making eye contact as he said their name. "Jorrel," an older man with hair that stood straight up, "Kahhn," the one previously known as Mutton Chops, and "Ivann." The man who clutched his sand mask with a white knuckled intensity. Rikku waved at them and Keyakku continued to choke and breathe heavily.

"Heya guys. Did you have a nice dinner?"

Jorrel smiled and nodded, "Yes, I did. Thank you, Miss Rikku. I see you are enjoying yours."

She bobbed her head. "Yeppers!"

Kahhn smirked at Gippal. "You get to watch after Cid's girl, huh? Tough job, little man. Hope you're up to it." Gippal furrowed his brow together, suddenly realizing the implications.

Ivann made some heavy duty eye contact with Cid. Cid held up two fingers to his face and gestured to the exit of the hall. Rikku saw this exchange and grew worried. "Pop, you haven't had anything to eat yet, you can't go."

He knelt down to her level. "I'll eat. I promise. You be good now, your Pops has to go. I may not be able to come in and read tonight, but I'm sure someone will." He ruffled her hair affectionately and got up, jerking his chin to the others and following as they began parting through the crowds.

Keyakku was breathing laboriously and Rikku said off handedly, "Cactus flower milk helps." She watched her Pops go with a thoughtful look as she munched.

Gippal stood next to her, a little too close, his twitchy fingers betraying his nervousness. Rikku noticed this but said nothing. "I'll take the rest of your dinner, Keyakku. You and Gippal can go and get something else." Rikku turned to Keyakku, the very picture of innocence.

Keyakku coughed and moved towards the mischievous practicing thief. "Nice try Rikku, but you're coming with us."

Rikku shrugged as she plucked the sticks out of his hands. "Huh? Whaddya' mean? I'll come with you guys."

Gippal registered what Keyakku had picked up on and his mouth dropped open. "Wh-what!?" He crossed his arms. "You aren't pulling a fast one on us."

Rikku shrugged. Her eyebrows high and eyes misleadingly innocent as she said, "I'm not pulling anything."

"Sure." Keyakku rolled his eyes and motioned to Gippal. Gippal narrowed his eyes at Rikku, and then moved behind her stubbornly. Rikku stuck out her lips to make a pout, but didn't quite make the expression and ended up smirking through puckered lips.

Gippal narrowed his eyes and poked her in the back. "C'mon. Cactus stand. Let's go."

Gippal poked her in the shoulder twice. She stumbled forward, and then glared behind her at Gippal before stuffing the rest of the strip of meat in her mouth. They side stepped shuffling families immersed in their food, mercenaries clustered together, and sailors looking a bit out of place.

Keyakku reached the line and turned to Gippal. "What d'ya think they're talking about?"

Gippal placed his hands behind his head, as if reclining in the air. It was a familiar gesture to both of the kids. It was accidentally invented when Gippal was lookout and he couldn't think of anything clever to do with his hands, so he pretended he was reclining. To make sure everyone believed he wasn't suspicious he made sure everyone saw him do it now and again. After a year and a half though- it became more of a habit.

"They said Luca." He said thoughtfully.

Rikku chewed her spiced meat, listening.

Keyakku crossed his arms, "It might mean a trip." He looked at Rikku, who generally was not this receptive to the idea of her Pops going away.

Whenever there was a 'trip', Cid and some of the navy men took the desert hover crafts to the open sea. The hover crafts returned with the men who had been stationed on the huge barges, trading their stations. When the hover crafts made the journey to the sea, it might be a week or a month between reunion.

Gippal nodded his head in the hammock his hands made. "Though did'ja see the way Ivann looked- and he's like, the best mech after Head Engineer Ghill."

Keyakku moved forward as the line shortened and said "He's been working on under water stuff for a while, and Luca does have a lot of water around it. They have been looking at islands in the West too, and there's lotsa water around there."

Keyakku waited for the person in front of him to finish up before pointing at the grilled medium sized cactus piece. He was ignoring the cactus slices in a 'salad' that was mixed with precious tomatoes, newly abundant cilantro, and lemons from Besaid- though Gippal was eyeing the colorful vegetable mix with bright eyed gluttony. Rikku wrinkled her nose at the slimy beginnings of the cactus slices being put into salads.

A woman with a round face, her cheeks and forehead red with effort, was washing and drying slices vigorously, though she smiled at the three children with energy.

Rikku gave a toothy grin. "My name's Rikku. What's yours?"

The woman smiled "Ikkenia, it nice to meet you Rikku. What'll you boys have?"

They pointed eagerly. The woman began to oblige their requests.

Rikku continued "Are you happy here?"

The womans smile grew warmer as she scooped and folded and piled food quickly. She looked over to Rikku. "Why, yes- I am, Rikku. Are you?"

Rikku beamed and hopped out, her hands spread out like wings, she nodded with her whole body. "More n' more people come here and be happy. If more people are happy, then the world's more happy, y'know? That makes _me _really happy!"

The woman gave the boys their food and said "Well, Rikku, you make _me _happy. Now, enjoy your food and see you all later!" She waved them off before attending the next group of people.

The boys mouths watered as they got their food, Gippal relishing the sweet juice of the tomato he popped into his mouth, and Keyakku messily digging in to his cactus. They continued their conversation in between bites.

"Western territory shipments been late, right?" Gippal asked, expecting that Keyakku had noticed there wasn't a lot of meat dishes around.

"Yeah, but I think there's been some problems—but nobody's gunna tell us about it." Keyakku grumbled.

Rikku said innocently "I thought it was 'man stuff'. I guess you guys are still boys."

The two boys bristled. Gippal shoveled more into his mouth. Keyakku ignored her and continued. "Hey- maybe…there's like… some secret underground water cavern with treasure and the Yevonites are gunning for it too!"

He became more excited as he continued with his theory.

Neither noticed when Rikku sidestepped into a stream of people walking the other way.

It was after the theory of the gigantic machina aeon, and the way cooler plan about infiltrating the freight scavenging ships, that Gippal asked with terror. "Where's Rikku?"


End file.
